The German town of Hamelin, which is famed for its medieval fairy tale of a fictional plague, is now grappling with a very real and unwelcome infestation.

The historic Lower Saxony settlement has been overrun by rats, which are rampaging through flowerbeds, parks, and public squares.

The rodents have chewed through multiple rubbish bins, which council workers have replaced, only for the rats to chew through them again within days.

Even the presence of actors and tour guides dressed as the legendary Pied Piper of Hamelin has proven ineffective.

The town’s unwelcome visitors, unlike their fictional counterparts, have so far resisted all attempts to be lured away.

Resident Monika Evans told local broadcaster NDR that she had been watching the creatures from her patio.

“I can see the rats jump from one bin to another,” she said.

“There’s 10, 12, 15 of them.”

The animals, she added, were spreading out and seemed to be racing each other. “They’re having fun,” she said.

The story of the Pied Piper is at least 700 years old and has been retold dozens of times.

It begins with Hamelin facing an infestation of rats and calling on the services of the mysterious Piper, who wears multicoloured or ‘pied’ clothing,

He lures the rodents with the music of his flute to the river Weser, where they all drown.

But when Hamelin’s residents refuse to pay for his services, the Pied Piper leads away the town’s 130 children, who are never seen again.

In some versions of the tale they too drown in the river, while in others they find themselves trapped in a cave.

The story may not reflect well on Hamelin, but it has certainly not harmed its economy.

Every year around three million tourists visit, enjoying its cobbled streets and half timbered houses.

Open-air performances – including Rats! the musical – are staged every summer.

In 2026, the 60,000 residents do not need to rely on a magical figure to deal with their rodents.

The council said that it was installing bait boxes around the town and has pest control experts dealing with the rat problem.